Term Effective: Fall 2013

The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.

Description:

The Legal Secretary Certificate of Achievement prepares the student for employment in a private law office as well as legal departments of business firms, banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, and many government agencies including the court system.

This certificate is the advanced level of the Legal Office program. Students who have completed the Legal Office Support Completion Certificate will have fulfilled a portion of the Legal Secretary Certificate of Achievement. Completion of the Legal Secretary Certificate of Achievement program also provides skills appropriate for further training as a paralegal.

The skills needed of office professionals (i.e., secretary, administrative assistant, office assistant, etc.) in other industries are also required in legal related fields. This program encompasses the integration of 21st Century workforce skills needed of all office professionals emphasizing communication, teamwork, project management, systems development, and problem-solving.

This program also provides a foundation in legal procedures and document processing. Legal procedure courses are taught by professionals currently working in the legal field. Job titles may include law office receptionist, file clerk, legal secretary, word document processor, and law office assistant.

While office needs vary, typical duties include maintaining accurate records, keyboarding legal documents, implementing legal procedures, managing cases, and coordinating day-to-day operation of the office. Professionalism is emphasized and education/training are promoted regularly through numerous organizations.

A unique feature of the Legal Secretary program is the internship which provides an opportunity to use acquired skills in an office environment and gain experience in the profession before completing the program.

Both Sonoma County Legal Secretaries Association and Legal Secretaries Incorporated http://www.lsi.org offer scholarships to students pursuing careers in this occupational area.

More information about the Business Administration programs can be found at the Business Administration Department website.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this certificate, the student will be able to:

1. Create calendar and follow-up systems and apply time management, project management, records management, and organizational skills to complete office tasks, and create and manage client files;
2. use critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal, and collaborative skills to complete work independently or in a team in an ethical and professional manner;
3. evaluate and analyze appropriate technology to use to complete tasks and legal documents productively and efficiently;
4. create, transcribe, and process legal documents, pleadings, and correspondence using appropriate statutory laws, procedures, and timelines; and
5. use integrated math computational skills to solve a variety of business applications such as inventory, payroll, calculating interest, and budget monitoring.

Recommended Sequence of Courses

Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, can view the recommended course sequence.

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Notes:

BOT 99.3I should be taken in the final semester of the program and must be taken for a minimum of 2 units.